Tuesday, May 28, 2013

LSM has now filmed MANY Indian weddings and have learned a lot about the traditions. And we never ever get tired of capturing them. The engagement ceremony is a mini-ceremony unto itself. I used to cover so simply, just myself with two cameras. Which is perfect for many of the pre-wedding events, but not quite enough for an engagement. Two videographers, three cameras, and a lot of movement are just right.

It's interesting to compare this video with Crystal and Andy's. Both incorporated traditional ceremonies, but Kiran and Perdeep were I think more interested in spending time with their families and having the maximum amount of fun with the traditions as a backdrop. Actually, it took some convincing for them to let me use Indian music with the video. I think it's perfect but we are still open to a different song. Suggestions welcome!

It was also great to have so many foreground elements, to enhance the motion of our steadicam and slider shots. Candles, photographers, whatever it takes. Dynamically linking each shot like a tapestry where everything in the finished product is unified is one of the joys of videography. I also had fun designing the closing title, overlaying, blurring and warping the text against one of my favourite shots.

Some people seem so calm - almost too calm. They take everything in stride and are always able to make decisions internally, consulting some inner world that they are secure in. Crystal and Andy got engaged only two years after they met, and got married just over two months later. Certainty is a wonderful thing.

One way to make choices is to consult the traditions of your culture or your family. It's so interesting to see how people incorporate these into their weddings. Some push against them and others welcome them. Some pick and choose what suits their vision, others take on tradition in its entirety.

From when she put on her qipao until the end of the tea ceremony, Crystal was covered and surrounded by red fabrics and patterns, even under her feet. Everything she touched was red, from her gloves to the tea cups to the red envelopes. To me it seemed like a metaphor. The individual is surrounded by tradition and yet is free to grow within it.

I personally am not a fan of rules, but in creative work there is often too much freedom. Having rules forces you to direct your creativity, forcefully, in one constructive direction. It's like having a room in which to construct both a ceremony and a reception. Restriction spurs growth. Perhaps it is the same in life.